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Jordin Tootoo
Jordin John Kudluk Tootoo (Inuktitut: ᔪᐊᑕᓐ ᔮᓐ ᑲᑦᓗᒃ ᑐᑐ;1 born February 2, 1983 age 30) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player with the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League (NHL). His middle name Kudluk means "thunder".2 His mother, Rose Tootoo, is of Ukrainian descent, while his father, Barney, is an Inuk from Nunavut.3 He is also the nephew of Manitoba Legislative Assembly Speaker George Hickes and cousin to Nunavut MLA Hunter Tootoo. Although born in Manitoba, Tootoo grew up in Rankin Inlet,4 where he was taught to skate and play hockey by his father, Barney.5 Growing up in Rankin Inlet also allowed Tootoo to learn the traditional Inuit lifestyle that includes hunting and camping.6 As the first half-Inuk6 to play in the National Hockey League he has become a role model for youth in Nunavut.78 Playing career Jordin Tootoo played for the Brandon Wheat Kings of the Western Hockey League (WHL) from 1999 to 2003 and was selected 98th overall in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft as the 6th choice of the Nashville Predators. He became the first player of Inuit descent to play in a regular season NHL game when he suited up against the Anaheim Ducks on opening night October 9, 2003. He was also the first person of Inuit descent to be drafted by an NHL team. Jordin wears the number '22' as a play on words of his name.6 He got his first NHL point with an assist on a Dan Hamhuis goal against the St. Louis Blues on October 16, 2003 and scored his first NHL goal against the Atlanta Thrashers on October 23. Also, Tootoo has earned two "Gordie Howe hat tricks" — on January 10, 2004, and December 8, 2007 — when he notched a goal, an assist, and a fighting major in each game. He spent the 2005–06 season between the Nashville Predators and the Predators' minor league affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals, where he played during the 2004–05 NHL lockout. On July 21, 2006 he was re-signed by the Predators to a two-year contract. On January 31, 2008, Tootoo was re-signed to another two-year contract extension. On March 19, 2007, the NHL suspended Tootoo for five games. Tootoo hit defenceman Stéphane Robidas of the Dallas Stars with his glove during the Stars game against Nashville on March 17. Robidas suffered a concussion and was rendered unconscious. The NHL issued a five-game suspension without pay, and accusations of "dirty" play have been leveled at Tootoo. These accusations were resurrected after an incident on October 11, 2007, in which Tootoo hit the head of Daniel Winnik of the Phoenix Coyotes with his shoulder.9 He scored his first playoff goal on April 10, 2008, against the Detroit Red Wings in the second period of Game 1 of the 2008 Western Conference Quarter Finals in a 3-1 loss. Awards *'MJHL' Rookie All-Star Team (1999) *Rookie of the Year, Most Popular Player, and Scholastic Player of the Year honors with the OCN Blizzard in 1998-99. *Nominated as Manitoba's Sportsman of the Year for 2000. *WHL Player of the Month for December, 2001. *WHL Player of the Week for the week of December 23–30, 2001. *Played in the 2001 CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game. *Hardest shot in the 2001 Top Prospects Skills Evaluation (96.1 mph). *WHL Player of the Week for the week of November 11–17, 2002. *National Aboriginal Achievement Awards, 2002 Youth Award.4 Career Statistics International play *Member of Team West in the under-17 2000 World Hockey Challenge. *Was the captain of Canada's under-18 team at the 2000 Four Nations tournament, winning a gold medal. *Helped Team Canada win silver at the 2003 IIHF World U-20 Hockey Championship. International statistics Personal life Jordin Tootoo's older brother, Terence, was also a hockey player. Terence played for the Roanoke Express of the ECHL in the 2001–02 season, after a successful junior career with the OCN Blizzard, and was named the Express' Rookie of the Year.10 In August 2002, Terence committed suicide at the age of 22, in the wake of an arrest for drunk driving.11 Jordin Tootoo briefly dated country music star Kellie Pickler in 2007 External links * Tootoo, Jordin Tootoo, Jordin Category:OCN Blizzard players Tootoo, Jordin Category:Nashville Predators draft picks Tootoo, Jordin Tootoo, Jordin Category:Manitoba junior hockey All-Time Roster Category:Aboriginal ice hockey players